


And They Were Neighbors

by slytherinssecretss



Category: Original Work
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Other, Slow Build, neighbors to lovers, past trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:02:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28581684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slytherinssecretss/pseuds/slytherinssecretss
Summary: My original writing based off the AU prompt: Neighbors but they only meet when one asks “Hey I’m sorry for bothering you, but I can’t get this stupid jar open, do you think you can you help me?”
Relationships: Jae Sung/Lennox May
Kudos: 4





	1. Part 1: Lennox's POV

_Saturday 10:30am_

Lennox woke up to the bright light coming through their apartment window. They checked their alarm clock and jumped up in alarm. _Shit I need to get ready for work or I’m going to be late,_ she thought. She decided halfway through getting ready that today felt like a _she_ day so she put on a skirt and makeup that she felt more comfortable wearing on her more feminine days. Yes, Lennox is genderfluid. For them, they alternate between all pronouns depending on what feels most comfortable with them, each day, each week, sometimes even each hour. She runs out the door, out of her apartment complex, out to her car. She doesn’t even notice the guy coming out of the apartment next to her, who stopped to gaze at her.

She just starts her car, and gets on the highway I-90 to head to the restaurant. Right now, Lennox is a waiter at one of the most popular, upscale restaurants in Boston. She’s worked there for a few years, using her tips that she's earned to help pay her college tuition. But if she doesn’t get there in time for their opening today, her manager’s going to dock her pay. She tries not to speed to make it to work and she makes it there with 10 minutes to spare. She clocks in, unlocks the front door, and helps prepare the tables. With this restaurant being right in the center of Boston, MA, it’s always been a hotspot, full of hundreds of customers everyday. So it’s always important for her to get there in time for her 8 hour shift, 11am-7pm on weekends, then her 6 hour shifts on evenings during the week, which are 4pm-10pm shifts.

It may be a lot, but it's worth it for the money she earns. At a restaurant like this, an 8 hour shift can earn you up to $1000 dollars in tips. It’s now a little after 11 and there’s already tons of customers coming through the door. She heads up to the front by the door to lead a nice couple and their small child to a booth. She takes their order, gives it to the chefs, then heads to the front to bring another group of people to their tables. She continues this along with bringing food and checks for the next 8 hours. When she finally clocks out, she counts how much she made in tips. _600, 700, 800, 900,_ she counts. She had made $915 dollars that night, which was good because she was a bit behind on her rent payment since she needed her last two tips for her next college semester, gas money, and food. She heads back to her apartment to make herself dinner.

_Sunday 9:00 am_

Lennox is awoken by a loud knocking on their door. They got up and threw on a bathrobe and opened up the door to see a tall man with warm amber eyes standing in her doorway. “Hey, I’m sorry for bothering you this early, but I haven’t been able to open this stupid jar, do you think you could help me?” They look at this man standing in front of them, with the messy dark hair, kind eyes, and genuine smile, and they can feel a flutter in their stomach. They nod, and grab the jar from his outstretched hand. After a few seconds of twisting and turning it, the lid pops off. “Thank you, um what’s your name?” he inquires. “I’m Lennox, and you are?” “I’m Jae, but I think I’m going to call you Nox.” he smirks with a devilish smile. _Is he flirting with me? No, why would someone like him like a freak like you._ “Well it's nice to meet you Jae, and I’m glad I could help.” They begin to close the door, before Jae abruptly slides his foot in the way of the door closing.

“Wait! Do you think maybe, we could get coffee sometime, or watch a movie or something? It’s just, I don’t know anyone else in the building, or have many friends either, and well I don’t know you just seem like a cool person.” he rambles. _Shit, he’s cute when he rambles like that. Oh fuck did I say that out loud? Answer him you idiot._ “Sure, give me one second.” They go grab a pad of paper and scribble down their phone number, and hand it to Jae. He thanks her, and heads back to his apartment. They sigh, and slump down against the door. _You barely know this dude and you’re falling for him? No, I’m not, we’re going to be friends and that's all._ But friends don’t look at each other like that.


	2. Part 2: Jae's POV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An original work based off an au prompt

_Sunday 9:35am_

As he walks out of his neighbors apartment, Jae feels a sense of excitement about his new friendship. He’s never seen them before until yesterday and was stunned by their bright hazel eyes. Jae was drawn to them, and who knows? Maybe this friendship could lead to something more. He knows his parents would never approve, but they haven’t approved of anything he’s done since grade school. Jae’s parents were Korean immigrants who came to America for a better life and future. However, they still had the same expectations of Jae as any Korean family, that he would get a successful job like a doctor or engineer, and marry some Korean girl. But Jae didn't want that, for one, he wasn’t even sure he’d marry a girl. Jae had figured out in middle school, with the help of other experimenting boys, that he was bisexual. His parents weren’t too happy about that, and have resented him ever since. He also didn’t want to be a doctor or engineer. What Jae really loved, was music. Ever since he was little, there was just something about it that he was drawn to. But the feeling he had when he played his music, it was something electric inside him. Depending on what you play, it can make you feel everything, from sad and solemn to cheerful and upbeat. It makes you forget about everything around you, and you just get lost in the music. He tried to explain this feeling to his parents, but they don’t get it, and just want him to have a career thats easier work and more successful. They struggled so much to get to America that they don’t want their son to struggle either, but at the same time, they turned against him when he told them the future he envisioned for himself.

Ironically, for now, Jae works in a doctors office as an assistant to help pay his bills, since his gigs don’t pay enough money for his apartment, and since he moved out 6 years ago, he’s barely heard a word from his parents. He doesn’t really care as much anymore, but it still stings a bit, to be cut off from the people who are supposed to love and care about you, no matter what. He walks down the street towards the local coffee shop, the _Thinking Cup_ , with his laptop, so he can look up more gig options in Boston. He’s not really financially stable enough yet to look for traveling gigs, or gigs out of the area, but he’s close. His plan was to get enough money so he could get out of here, but his neighbor changed everything. Now, Jae wants to stay, he wants to stay for them. He thinks about texting them, but wonders if it’s too soon. Suddenly he hears a ding from his phone, and a text from Nox. 

**_Nox: Hey, before we start talking, I think it would be a good idea to tell you that I’m genderfluid. So I understand if this means you don’t want to talk to me anymore._ **

**_Jae: Okay, what pronouns do you prefer?_ **

**_Nox: Any work for me. Wait- you’re okay with this?_ **

**_Jae: Yeah, for one, gender identity doesn't matter to me, and I honestly think that society’s views on gender are bullshit, and two, I’m bisexual. By the way, I use he/him pronouns._ **

**_Nox: Oh, okay. So I was wondering if you were free on Wednesday night, and maybe you could come over and watch a movie or something around 11?_ **

**_Jae: Sure, that sounds great, I’ll see you then 😄_ **

  
Jae puts his phone back in his pocket, and continues to the coffee shop, but the idea of seeing Nox again never leaves his mind. _Are you honestly pining after your neighbor, they barely know you, you’re going to scare them off. No, Nox is just a friend and thats all._ But friends don’t look at each other like that.


End file.
